Improvement in game apparatus



C. A. ROTH. Game Apparatus.

'- Patented Feb. 19, 1878.

No. 200,57l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES A. ROTH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GAME APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,571, dated February19, 1878 5 application filed January 24, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Born, of Washington, District ofColumbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Ten-Pin Table,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the tableembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view thereof. Fig. 3 isa view of the cue.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the twofigures.

My invention relates to game -tables on which the game of ten-pins isplayed by impelling a ball along a passage or channel adapted to guidethe same along the sides of the table, and then to the center thereof atone end, whereby the ten-pins, which are set up at the other end, willbe knocked down by the ball.

My improvement consists, first, in forming the straight portion of thechannel along but one side of the table, with the crook or curvedportion thereof which opens toward the center of the table at its head,whereby the pins will be set up at the foot of the table, withinconvenient reach of the player, so that after they are knocked down bythe ball which leaves the crook at the head they will be within reach,and may be set up again without requiring the player to go to the otherend of the table, as heretofore second, in the arrangement of thechannel as above stated, and several compartments for chalk, and thepins when not in use, the construction and location ofthe channel or wayadmitting of several divisions not heretofore admissible in thisconnection, all as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the head of a table, which maybe of the form employed for billiard or bagatelle purposes or it may beof size available for the parlor.

On the upper face of the table there is an alley, B, which extendslongitudinally from the foot A of the table to the head A thereof; andat the latterplace it is continued as a crook, (J, which is located atthe center of the head of the table, and its termination opens inward ortoward the foot of the table.

d 01 represent compartments formed by division pieces, the former beingat the foot A of the table, and the latter at the head A thereof. Theseare very useful for holding chalk, and also the pins when not in use.

It will be seen that by my mode of arranging the alley B along one sideof the table only, and by bringing the crook around so as to open intoward the center of the table, at the head thereof, space is affordedfor these two compartments. I also continue the alley to the end of thecrook, whereby the ball is more effectively guided than if the completealleyway with side walls terminated sooner.

The operation is as follows: The ten-pins will be set up at the foot ofthe table, as

shown, and a ball is placed in the alley B adjacent to the pins. Bymeans of a one, or directly byhand, the ball will be impelled toward thehead of the table, and it follows the course of the crook, andconsequently rolls toward the ten-pins, the number of "which knockeddown will determine the game or produce the amusement.

As the ball will not always leave the crook at the same angle or path,owing to the manner in which it may be struck or started, theuncertainty of action of the ball on the pins will increase the interestof the game.

' It will also be noticed that the pins may be set up at the foot of thetable, thus obviating the necessity of the players leaving the place forsuch purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ten-pin table, the alley B, running along one side of the tableonly, from the foot to the head, and terminating at the latter portionof the table in a crook, 0, opening at a point intermediate of the sidesand near the head A, whereby the ten-pins will be set up at the foot ofthe table by the player, and from the end at which the ball is played,as herein shown and specified.

2. In a ten-pin table, the arrangement of the alley B along one sideonly of the table, with its crook G at the head thereof, and terminatingat the point herein specified, and the compartments d d at the foot andhead of the table, respectively, as and for the purposes herein shownand described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

O. A. BOTH.

Witnesses:

J oHN A. WIEDERSHEIM, O'HAs. G. PAGE.

